Violin chin rest



Nov. 13, 1923,

G. W. DITTMANN VIOLIN CHIN REST Filed dan. 4. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Noma, 1923. y l 1,473,672 I G.W.DWTMANN VIOLIN CHIN REST 'Filed Jan. 4. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. DITTMANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VIOLIN CHIN REST.

Application filed January 4, 1921. Serial No. 434,997.

To all whom t may concern;

Be it known that I, Gnonen WV. Di'r'r- MANN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and. State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful VImprovement in Violin Chin Rests, of which the following specifi' cation is a full disclosure.

-This invention relates to the formation and attachment of violin chin-rests. As at present formed and attached. the long aXis of the chin-receiving vdepression of the rest, is so disposed in relation 'to the central long axis of the violin, that the lower surface of the inferior maxillary bone crosses or traverses the outer and upper relatively sharp edge of therest, with resulting painful con# tusionsof the chin-bone and unnecessary fatigue of the performer.

Objects therefore, of my invention, are to overcome the above-mentioned diiiculties by providing a form of chin-rest, the chin-receiving depression of which conforms accurately to the outline of the under surface of the inferior maxillary bone and related muscles and tissues, the said rest being attached in such an. angular relation to the viol'irnthat/a firm and restful grip may be had thereupon, when the instrument is held in playing position between the lowersurface of the inferior maXillary bone and the broad, fieXed, deltoid muscle. t t

Other objects and certain advantages will appear in the description, forming a part of this specification, and reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 isa plan view of a portion of a violin, showing my improvedy chin-rest ate `tached thereto, and showing in dot-and-dash lines the outline. and angular relation of the old form of chin-rest to the violin, and to my improved forni of rest. A

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end view of tLe attached rest.

Fig. 4 is a detached bottom plan.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on .line 5, Fig. l. v

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections re spectively on lines 6--6, 77, Fig. l.

The numeral 1 generally'designates a con-- ventional form of violin, at the left rear base end of which is attached in an improved angular relation, my chin-rest 2, of novel conformation. Upon the bottom surface of the rest 2, is formed a downwardly directed rib 3, designed to conform to the outline of the upper edge of the violin body, and drilled as at 2a for the reception of the usual form of attaching means, shown at 2b,in Fig. l. y

In a direction rearwardly of the rib 3, the rest `is formed with an overhanging shelf portion 5, the outer peripheral edge 6 of which is eccentrically peripheral edge of the rib 3, as shown. The exact angular relation of the chin-receiving depression 8, to the violin, is shown in Fig. l, in which the `line is drawn conformably to the central long axis of the violin. The outline of the old form of chin-rest is shown in dot-and-dash lines at l0, and the long axis of its chin-receivingdepression is indicated by the line cZ-c, which line is seen to form an acute angle at-its intersection with the line w-g/. The line c-d is drawn kconformably to the long axis of the chinreceivin'g depression of my improved rest, and will be seen to form an outwardly facing `obtuse angle b-with the line .0a-Jy. The obtusity of the angle as herein illustrated, is slight; however, the angle Z) may be varied and even be made slightly less than a right angle, but in the great majority of cases willbe of greater ebtusity, depending upon the individual needs. As a result ofthe obtuse angular relation of the chin-receiving depression 8, representedby the angle V7), andas distinguished fromv the old forms of chinrecelving depression angularities, indicate-1l Aby the angle a, I overcome two serieus dfiiculties, to-wit, the production of painful contusions upon the lower surface of the inferior maxillary bone, and related muscles and tissues, and the tiring of the performer in his effort to securely hold the instrument during practise or performance periods.

As best shown `in Figs. 6 and 7, the transverse curvature l5 of the chin depression is gradualy flattened towards the left end (see Fig. l), of the rest, andthe ridge 11.6 pre- .'.ents no sharp angles te bruise and :irritate :he tissues, muscles, er bone of the chin.

shown in Fig. 5, the longitudinal cur vature of the ehindepression is gradual, be ginning at point 17, higher in respect to the upper surface of the 'violin bellv, than the point 19, at the left side of the rest, thus providing a gradual downward curve, conforming to the long curvature of the interior maxillary bone.

My rest further provides a relatively related to the outer broad chinereceiving;r depression, (see Fig. l), as compared with the old roi-m of rests, and the natural conformation oli this de pression or my rest, to the under surface ol" the interior maxillary region, is a distinct im provement and advantage.

lV ith my rest, it is impossible, in normally supporting the Violin, to hare the .eh-.in bone intersect the marginal ridge ol the rest, as in the old conventional type.

My rest forms an easy, wnrfortable, nat nral bearing for the chin, the bony structure and correlated muscles and glandular tissue, uniformly distributing` the pressure and eliminatingany inflammatory or acute pressures or strains. In fact, in addition to comfort and freedom from acute ini-pingement, this rest enables the player to securely hold the violin between the shoulder and chin practically independently of the supporting influence oif' the hand ,efr sping the neck of the violin and consequently has the additional function or enabling the player freer use oil1 the hand and lingers Yl'or the technique ot stoppin, while at the saine time eliminating the fatigue, dialing and irritation which has been a constant source olf trouble and annoyance inheringl in the use of the old or conventional type or chin rest.

The inner portion of the rest is set .in over the belly, adjacent to the tail piece 'lor the strings, from which point it sweeps in a gradual curve laterally and rearwardly orerhanging the tail of the violin, projecting inwardly toward the neck of the player. That is to sa my chin rest, while disposing the pivotal portion of the chin, over the belly in the prescribed position, deriates in structure, shape and dimension, 'from the contour of' the instrument in order to con* form to the contour and relative disposition ol the anatonrv ogi a player supporting the violin in playing;` position.

Further, and as best shown in Fig. 2, my chin-rest is preferably made higher at the extremity adjacent the tail piece and slopingdownwardly to the terminal lobe 5, so lhat when the Violin is horizontal, the bearing surface ,of the rest is at an angle to the horizontal and hence the bearingl surface ot' the chin-rest Will be brought into an approximate liorizcontal plane, in playing position.

lith a chin-rest constructed on this )rinciple, it is uiniecessary and. undesirab e to supplement the support by tucking a handkerchief between the rest and the chin, as is the common practice with the conventional chin-rest.

Having (.lescribed my invention, l. claim:

A. violin chin rest, comprising a body member having a chin depression in the upper tace thereof, the depression surface inclininp,v downwardly :from the rear and inner edges to the opposite Yforward edges 'forming an elev ated margin at the rear and inner edges, and a rib extending,r from the under side o? said body member, having:r a rea-r edge curved to the outline of the violin at the point of attachment tothe violin, .and tapering from yits rear end forwardly, for downwardly inch-ning the body member from `the .rear end forwardly, whereby the long axis of the .depression forms with the longv axis of the violin an outwardly facing obtuse angle when the rest in attached to the violin.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as yattested by the tivo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE YV. DITTMANN.

"Witnesses L. A. Bmx, J. C. J'UNIUS. 

